Resources for Homeowners Facing Foreclosure in Spokane

If you have fallen behind on your mortgage and are worried about losing your home, take a breath. You have more time and more options than most people realize, and there are trusted, free resources in Spokane and across Washington ready to help. This page explains what foreclosure actually is, walks you step by step through how it works here in Spokane, lists the organizations that can help you, and describes how I may be able to stop a foreclosure before it happens.

What Is a Foreclosure?

A foreclosure is the legal process a lender uses to take back and sell a home when the homeowner falls behind on the mortgage. When you bought your house, you signed a deed of trust that pledged the property as security for the loan. If the payments stop, that deed of trust gives the lender the right to sell the home to recover what it is owed. In Washington, most home mortgages are foreclosed without going to court, in what is called a nonjudicial foreclosure. Instead of a judge overseeing the case, a neutral party called a trustee handles the sale under strict rules set out in state law (Chapter 61.24 of the Revised Code of Washington). Because no lawsuit is filed, the timeline moves on its own without anyone automatically stepping in to protect you, which is exactly why understanding the process and acting early matters so much.

How Foreclosure Works in Spokane, Step by Step

Missed payments and the Notice of Default. The process usually begins after you have missed several mortgage payments. Before the lender can move forward, it must send you a Notice of Default. For owner-occupied homes, the lender is also generally required to reach out first to explore alternatives to foreclosure, and once you receive the Notice of Default you should contact a housing counselor or an attorney right away, because important deadlines start running from that point.

Foreclosure mediation. In Washington, receiving a Notice of Default may make you eligible to be referred to the state’s Foreclosure Fairness mediation program by a housing counselor or attorney. Mediation brings you and the lender to the table with a neutral mediator to discuss loan modifications or other alternatives. You generally must be referred before the sale is finalized, so timing is critical.

The Notice of Trustee’s Sale. If the default is not resolved, the trustee records a Notice of Trustee’s Sale with the Spokane County Auditor and mails it to you. By law, this notice must be given at least 90 days before the sale date, and at least 120 days when a pre-foreclosure notice is required. A copy is also posted in a visible spot on the property or personally served, and notice of the sale is published in a local newspaper. This document tells you the exact date, time, and place of the auction.

Your right to reinstate. Washington law gives you the right to stop the sale by curing the default, meaning paying the past-due amounts plus allowable fees and costs, up until 11 days before the scheduled sale date. Even after that point, other options may still be available, but the 11-day mark is a key deadline to keep in mind.

The auction (trustee’s sale). If nothing stops it, the home is sold at a public auction to the highest bidder. In Spokane, these trustee’s sales have traditionally been held at the Spokane County Courthouse, 1116 West Broadway Avenue, Spokane, WA 99260. Always confirm the exact location and time listed on your Notice of Trustee’s Sale, since the notice itself controls. After the sale, the winning bidder receives a trustee’s deed, and the former owner and any occupants can be required to leave.

Free Resources That Help Spokane Homeowners

You do not have to navigate this alone, and you should never pay a company that promises to “save” your home for a fee. The organizations below offer free, trustworthy help. Beware of scams: legitimate agencies will not cold-call you or demand payment up front.

Washington Homeownership Resource Center (Statewide Foreclosure Hotline). This is Washington’s official homeownership hotline. It connects you with free, HUD-approved housing counselors and possible financial assistance. Phone: 1-877-894-HOME (1-877-894-4663), Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Website: homeownership-wa.org.

Northwest Justice Project (CLEAR Legal Aid Hotline). Free civil legal help for income-eligible Washington residents, including foreclosure matters. CLEAR Hotline: 1-888-201-1014, weekdays 9:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Seniors age 60 and over may call CLEAR*Sr at 1-888-387-7111. Local Spokane office: 157 S. Howard Street, Suite 405, Spokane, WA 99201, phone 509-324-9128.

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). HUD funds approved housing counseling agencies nationwide at little or no cost. Call 1-800-569-4287 to find a HUD-approved counselor near you. Website: hud.gov.

Homeowner’s HOPE Hotline. A national hotline offering free foreclosure-prevention counseling. Phone: 1-888-995-HOPE (1-888-995-4673), available around the clock.

Washington State Attorney General, Consumer Protection Division. If you believe you have been targeted by a foreclosure-rescue scam or unfair lending practice, you can file a complaint or get information. Phone: 1-800-551-4636 (in-state), Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Website: atg.wa.gov.

Spokane County Treasurer. For questions specifically about property-tax foreclosures, which are separate from mortgage foreclosures, contact the Spokane County Treasurer’s Office at 1116 West Broadway Avenue, Spokane, WA 99260, phone 509-477-4713.

How I Can Help Stop a Foreclosure

As a Washington bankruptcy attorney, I have real tools to stop a foreclosure, sometimes at the very last minute. When you file bankruptcy, an automatic stay goes into effect immediately and, in most cases, halts a scheduled trustee’s sale in its tracks. A Chapter 13 case can then let you catch up on your missed mortgage payments over a period of three to five years while you stay in your home, and a Chapter 7 case may provide relief in other situations. Bankruptcy is not the only option, but when a sale date is bearing down, it is often the most powerful one. I have stopped a foreclosure just 24 hours before the home was scheduled to be sold. The earlier you reach out the more options we have, but even if the auction is tomorrow, it is worth calling, because there may still be time to act.

Talk to a Spokane Foreclosure Attorney Today

If you are facing foreclosure in Spokane, do not wait for the sale date to arrive. Reach out for a consultation so we can review your situation and go over every option to protect your home. You can schedule an appointment using my consultation calendar below.